Breed profile The Sacred Birman
Deep blue eyes, a silky coat and four white paws, as if someone had put gloves on the cat: the Sacred Birman is unmistakable. Here we tell you where she comes from, what she looks like and why we fell in love with this breed of all breeds.
01
Origins and legend
Legend has it that the Birman once lived in a temple in Burma. When the old priest Mun-Ha died, his white cat Sinh leapt onto him. The cat's coat turned golden like the statue of the goddess and his eyes became sapphire blue – only the paws touching the priest stayed white.
Lovely as the story is, the Sacred Birman was actually bred in France in the 1920s. After the Second World War very few cats were left, and the breed had to be painstakingly rebuilt. Today it is recognised by all major cat associations.
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Appearance: gloves and blue eyes
The Birman is a medium to large, sturdily built semi-longhaired cat. Her coat is silky with little undercoat, so it mats far less than that of many other longhaired breeds.
Two features make her unmistakable:
- the deep blue eyes every Birman has
- the white "gloves" on all four paws, which reach a little way up the hind legs as "laces"
Face, ears, legs and tail are darker than the body – a pattern known as pointed. And the most surprising part: Birman kittens are born almost white, and their colour only develops over months.
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Colours and patterns
Birmans come in many colours: seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream and more, each also as tabby (with delicate striping) or silver. The best known is the classic seal point with dark brown points.
Our own cats already show a lovely range: Yoselin, Amber and Autumn are seal tabby point, Atlas is blue tabby point, and Ash and his father Luigi are blue silver tabby point.
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Personality
Owning a Birman means having a shadow on four paws. Birmans are remarkably people-oriented, gentle and even-tempered, yet playful and curious. They follow you around the flat, "chat" about their day in a soft voice and seek your company without being pushy.
They usually get on well with other cats, and a cat-friendly dog is no problem for a well-socialised Birman – our kittens play with Willow the dog every day. What they really dislike is being left alone for long.
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Care and keeping
Grooming is pleasantly simple: brushing once or twice a week is usually enough, a little more often during the moult.
Birmans are calm indoor cats but love a secured balcony or cat netting. Because they are so sociable, we only rehome our kittens to a home with a second cat or to people who are at home most of the time.
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Health
The Sacred Birman is considered a robust breed. Like every pedigree cat, though, she carries hereditary risks such as the heart condition HCM or polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Responsible breeding means talking about them openly and testing for them. What we test our cats for is set out on our health page.
A healthy Birman can easily live to 15 – a long time together that is worth thinking through calmly before a kitten moves in.
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Is a Birman right for you?
A Birman suits you if you would like a gentle, affectionate cat who takes part in family life – and if you can offer her company.
You will find our current kittens on the kittens page. If none is available right now, or you would like to reserve a place for the next litter, do join our waiting list.
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